An 8am start at The Poplars in Market Rasen saw the team of energetic cyclists, including Dan Hayes CEO, commence their journey. They had well-deserved rest stops during their route at 12 of the 15 homes run by OSJCT and their epic ride concluded at Patchett Lodge in Holbeach early evening.

Paul Edwards, Director of Clinical Services at Dementia UK, said: “We are so grateful to have the support of The Orders of St John Care Trust and we wish them every success in their upcoming cycling challenge. Through their fundraising efforts, we can increase the number of specialist dementia nurses (Admiral Nurses) in response to one of the greatest health conditions of our time.”

OSJCT provides high level care to those living with dementia and wanted to help raise funds for our partner Dementia UK. Each year around 850,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with dementia equating to 1 in 14 people. The number of individuals with dementia is increasing as a probable result of people now living longer. According to statistics it is thought that by 2025 the number of people in the UK with dementia will have risen to over 1 million.

Dementia UK provide specialist support to families with a loved one who has dementia and also fund Admiral Nurses. An Admiral Nurse is a nurse that is continually trained, developed and supported by Dementia UK. They provide families with support, expert guidance and with a friendly face to help the individual live more positively with Dementia.

Dan Hayes, Chief Executive Officer, comments: “This event was a wonderful opportunity to fundraise for one of our partners, Dementia UK, who provide support to the Trust in helping to assist residents with dementia. Whether individuals were on a bike, in the support minibus, making the refreshments or cheering on from the roadside it was a fun day reminding us why we all do what we do every day. Thanks to everyone who made this occasion a great success.”

If you would still like to donate post event please do so at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/osjct-tourdetrust. This site also contains additional details about what we are doing and the work of Dementia UK.

The opening was a great occasion and was attended by the organisations involved in the build and the local community including children from Stow Primary School.

The Grand Master met residents and employees as he toured the care centre and was shown the home and its facilities. During the visit, he met residents involved in a range of activities; some were making dough for pizzas which they would cook in the new pizza oven recently purchased by the home, whilst others were making flower corsages and ribbon bows, expertly guided by the local florist, which they then wore to the official ceremony.

The commemorative plaque took centre stage in the marquee and was unveiled by The Grand Master following a blessing by The Very Revd Alec Knight, OBE and Dom Edward Corbould, OSB.

Residents Margaret and Kath presented The Grand Master with flowers and a gift on behalf of those living and working at the home.

The school children loved the games in the garden including hook-a-duck, a coconut shy and of course plenty of candy floss! The residents of Edwardstow Court enjoyed seeing the children play and having so many visitors to their home.

Celebrations were rounded off with a glass of fizz and a toast following some well wishes by OSJCT chairman Don Wood, Chief Executive Dan Hayes and Deputy Chief Executive Kerry Dearden.

A great day was had by all and we wish Edwardstow Court Care Centre a very happy future.

The chance to celebrate national poetry month, however, has brought one resident to centre stage. 100-year-old Emma has written poetry for most of her life. She keeps all her poems in a folio, each individually typed with love and care.

Recently, residents sat to hear the team recite some of these poems. Emma’s selection ranges from love to loss, from family to solitude and everything in between. Emma is proud that many of her poems have been published over the years and is particularly proud to have featured in ‘Chat’ magazine.

One poem in particular was very well received by her fellow residents and we wanted to share it with you:

Spring

A summer’s day

A bright blue sky

The fragrant smell of peat,

The sights and sounds of countryside

A field of swaying wheat.

A lovely dell, a country lane,

The buzz of bumble bee.

There’s beauty all around us

And all of it is free.

The lovely trees of different hues

As autumn time comes around,

And with the shedding of their leaves

A carpet then is found.

The air is fresh and crisp and clean

As wintertime is nigh,

And winds blow leaves and seeds about

And clouds go scudding by.

Even on a wet day there’s beauty to be found

Take the gleam on sunlight

On puddles on the ground.

But wait until the spring comes around

The wonder of it all,

As buds begin to push their way

And birds begin to call.

Leaves burst forth in triumph,

Ants begin to run

Hedges start to shoot about

And spiders web is spun.

Oh yes to see the county

When spring is on the way,

Is to know the joy of living

If only for one day.

Therefore, Brookside set to work with residents chopping fruit to be blended into smoothies and  interesting cordials were purchased for the residents to try. A coconut and a ginger and pear cordial were both well received, and the most popular smoothie was a banana and chocolate flavour.

There are many risk factors that make our elderly population particularly susceptible to dehydration:

Many of the illnesses and ailments associated with old age can cause a reduced sensation for thirst, Alzheimer’s disease and Strokes in particular may further pronounce this issue. The person may not actually recognise that they are thirsty, or they may feel the sensation but be unable to recognise what it means.
Many older people who suffer with continence issues may actively avoid fluids, to reduce the need for trips to the loo and to lessen the risk of embarrassment in the event of an accident.
Many older people have a reduced renal function, and this means the hormonal response to dehydration which protects most of us may be impaired.
Cognitive impairment may mean that an individual loses the awareness that they need to drink or may leave them unsure of how to access the fluids they need.
Older people may need diuretic or laxative type medications, which can further reduce the amount of fluids present in the body.

Once dehydrated, an individual is left vulnerable to falls due to the effects which it brings, signs and symptoms of dehydration can include:

• Increased hypotension (low blood pressure) leading to dizziness, light headedness and nausea
• Impaired mental performance. Memory can be compromised, attention can be limited, concentration can suffer, and reaction times can be slowed.
• Lethargy may again impact on awareness and reaction times

Looking at these symptoms makes it far easier to understand how dehydration can lead to increased risk of falls. Jamie Carter, Registered Manager at Brookside said, ‘It’s important that everyone within the home has an understanding of the dangers of dehydration, it’s not just a job for our care team, but also our housekeepers, maintenance and administrative teams all have a role to play in managing hydration with our residents. Activities like this allow conversations around fluids to be opened and as a result we become more aware of individual risk factors and in turn, they become more empowered to manage their own hydration needs. It is our hope that these conversations will ultimately lead to a reduction in falls and a safer environment for our residents .’

According to the NHS one in three adults over 65 who live at home will have one fall per year and around half of those will fall more frequently. Even more worryingly, falls are the most common cause of injury related death in people over 75. Therefore, it is imperative that when you care for a loved one you consider their hydration needs. Activity Coordinator Elena says, ‘We hope that we can lead by example as part of an organisation that is truly committed to the health and wellbeing of it’s residents. Maybe someone will read our blog and use it to change the way they think about hydration, after all it is important for everyone’.

There was a great turn out from our residents and staff as well as some family members visiting, and all were able to relax and enjoy some fantastic songs sung by the pupils.

What a treat these young people were; from the moment they arrived we had energy as they enjoyed their packed lunches in our garden with a little visit from the Sun to get everyone in a good mood. However, when it came time to get set up and begin their set – these energetic pupils all became quite professional and treated us all to a great set of songs and actions to go with them.

Some popular songs were performed with our residents joining in, what a great way to exercise the mind through the power of music, voice and friendship.

We were even able to have a little Q & A time where the pupils came up with some great questions that only a young person could – from ‘Who is the oldest?’ to ‘Does anyone have a girlfriend or a boyfriend?’

Following their performance, the pupils were straight in chatting and mingling with our residents over a cup of juice and treats provided.

Mr Handley (Year 5) told us that the pupils have been ‘super-excited all morning and couldn’t wait to visit.’

An AMAZING experience to see these young people interacting with our residents.

We look forward to your next visit and of course your next concert.

Whether they are sporting fancy hats for Ascot, eating strawberries and cream during Wimbledon or visiting an ice cream parlour in the height of summer, the residents and team at Langford View enjoy marking the seasons with fun activities, outings and, of course, seasonal food.

As mornings get chillier and nights begin to draw in, autumn is fast approaching but the seasonal fun at Langford View continues. With last month’s launch of Langford View’s weekly coffee mornings, the home has used the opportunity to theme these get-togethers to make the most of what autumn and winter have to offer, as well as hosting some special extra events too.

Come along and enjoy some autumn punch and carve a pumpkin at the Autumn Fayre, try your luck at apple bobbing and see the spooky costumes at the Halloween fancy dress coffee morning, or top up your Christmas shopping at the Christmas fete. Here is what Langford View have lined up over the next few months:

• Macmillan Coffee Morning - Friday 28th September, 10.30-11.45am
• Autumn Fayre - Tuesday 16th October, 10am-12pm
• Halloween Fancy Dress Coffee Morning and Raffle - Wednesday 31st October, 10.30-11.45am
• Children in Need Coffee Morning - Friday 16th November, 10.30-11.45am
• Christmas Fete - Saturday 8th December, 2pm-4pm
• Christmas Jumper Day Coffee Morning - Friday 14th December, 10.30-11.45am

If you can’t make it to any of these events, Langford View’s free coffee mornings are held every Friday from 10.30am to 11.45am. These mornings provide a great chance to meet new people and enjoy hot drinks, delicious cakes and entertainment along with plenty of chat and laughter. Everyone is welcome so please do come along and drop in at any time. For more information and how to find the home please click here.

There was a wonderful turnout with a combined total of 286 attending, including 16 homes from Gloucestershire and 17 from Wiltshire. Residents, employees, volunteers and family members all helped to make the two events a huge success.

Our residents participate in various creative projects throughout the year with the help and support of our dedicated activity coordinators and volunteers. At this year’s craft show the categories on display were:

• Art & pottery
• Cakes
• Flowers, vegetables & fruit
• Jams & pickles
• Woollen & needlework

Those judging the exhibits included the local mayor, Companions of The Order of Malta, Trustees and Directors. Sampling the cakes, jams and pickles was a big hit!

Both Karen Johnson and Sian Dewhurst who are the Volunteer & Events Managers for Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, respectively, agreed that the annual Harvest and Craft Shows are very much looked forward to by the residents and how heartening it is to see everyone having a lovely afternoon. They noted that it was a fabulous opportunity for all to showcase their creativity as well as an opportunity to interact socially on a larger scale between the homes.

Jo Blackburn, Care Quality Director commented: “I thoroughly enjoy our Resident Harvest and Craft Shows. It is a wonderful way for us all to come together to celebrate harvest time and reminisce on times gone by. The fabulous crafts, cakes, vegetables and fruit on display were produced by our residents as part of our creative activities programme which has such a positive impact on the lives of our residents. We are also indebted to our volunteers who play a vital role in our Care Homes and without their support occasions like this would not be possible.”

Not only was it a great opportunity to meet other members of the wider OSJCT network and residents of other homes within the county; but it gave us a chance to showcase some of our creative ideas. The day was a great success with over 30 homes in the region all attending with arts and crafts made throughout the year.

The day saw some fantastic projects including pickled eggs, homegrown vegetables and homemade jams, flower arranging, arts & craft pieces as well as a scare crow named ‘Laura’.

It was amazing to see not only how much our residents enjoyed themselves; but also, a real joy in getting to see the huge amount of work and creativity that went on in every home across Gloucester.

There was even time for our resident Tony to ask for a little dance with our Care Leader, Annamarie.

There was a wonderful turnout with a combined total of 286 attending, including 16 homes from Gloucestershire and 17 from Wiltshire. Residents, employees, volunteers and family members all helped to make the two events a huge success.

Our residents participate in various creative projects throughout the year with the help and support of our dedicated activity coordinators and volunteers. At this year’s craft show the categories on display were:

• Art & pottery
• Cakes
• Flowers, vegetables & fruit
• Jams & pickles
• Woollen & needlework

Those judging the exhibits included the local mayor, Companions of The Order of Malta, Trustees and Directors. Sampling the cakes, jams and pickles was a big hit!

Both Karen Johnson and Sian Dewhurst who are the Volunteer & Events Managers for Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, respectively, agreed that the annual Harvest and Craft Shows are very much looked forward to by the residents and how heartening it is to see everyone having a lovely afternoon. They noted that it was a fabulous opportunity for all to showcase their creativity as well as an opportunity to interact socially on a larger scale between the homes.

Jo Blackburn, Care Quality Director commented: “I thoroughly enjoy our Resident Harvest and Craft Shows. It is a wonderful way for us all to come together to celebrate harvest time and reminisce on times gone by. The fabulous crafts, cakes, vegetables and fruit on display were produced by our residents as part of our creative activities programme which has such a positive impact on the lives of our residents. We are also indebted to our volunteers who play a vital role in our Care Homes and without their support occasions like this would not be possible.”

Louis and David attended the home every two weeks and taught our residents songs accompanied with musical instruments. In Louis and David’s last session we celebrated the Last Night of the Proms where ‘Live Music Now’ challenged care homes from all over the country to do something musical and to share what they’ve done through Facebook and Twitter.

Louis Bingham said "It was an absolute joy to work with all the staff and residents at Monkscroft. We looked forward to each visit and always came upon something new and exciting during the musical experiences we had together. Upon a return visit after the project had wrapped up we were delighted to feel the same warmth amongst the group, and to hear and see the evidence that musical activity was just as strong (if not more so) as when we left. Thank you to everyone at Monkscroft who made this such a special and enduring project."

The impact of the sessions has been very clear to see, with over 30 residents getting involved in the project, they all appeared to enjoy the sessions and engaging with the musicians.

The ‘Live Music Now’ project in conjunction with ‘Last Night at the Proms’ was a wonderful experience and opportunity for both residents and the team. Monkscroft have even been invited to attend a conference at the University of Nottingham in October to present a session with the musicians and share our experiences with the project.